Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-03-25
A GRAND BOOM FOR YACHTING.
Meeting at City Hail. Last
Night, Addressed by w. II. II. Murray.

One of the most enthusiastic meetings
in the interest of out-of-door sports ever
held in Burlington, was that gathered in
the City Hall, Monday evening, for the pro
motion and encouragement of yachting
and yacht-building on Lake Champlan.
A large number of prominent citizens
were present, and the audience included
many ladies. The meeting was called to
order by Hon. Henry Ballard of the
Sharpe Yacht club, who acted as chair
man With Mr. Ballard on the platform
sat Mr.. w. II. H. Murray, the well-known
"apostle of the Adirondack Wilderness"
| now Il citizen of Burlington and identi-
fled as heartily and wholly with the
yachting interests of Lake Champlain as
he has previously been with the interests
of the romantic section lying along its
western border. In opening, Hon. Mr..
| Ballard said:
This meeting, ladies and gentlemen, has
been called by the Lake Chqmplain Yacht
club, for the purpose of developing new
attraction of our city, and adding new
beauty to those for which Burlington is
already famous. 1t has been called for the
purpose of awakening interest and eXcit-
ing enthusiasm in the subject of yachting
on Lake Champlain. We believe that our
lake, by reason of its situation and its
natural attraction, offers the most favor
able opportunities for the develop
ment of a yachting interest. But up to
this time this interest has been prac-
tically undeveloped. We believe that
yachting on Lake Champlain will add
largely in many ways to the prosperity of
our city; and if it is developed, Burlng
ton is destined to take the lead and to be
its centre. Where yachts are sailed yachts
must be built; and this will add new in
dustry to the business prosperity of Bur
lington. Within the past two or three
years there has been an increased interest
in yachting all over the country. 1t is for
the purpose of stimulating, fostering and
setting on foot this interest in Burlington
that this meeting has been called. Should
it be properly developed it will make Lake
Champlaln famous summer resort. We
are fortunate in having with us, and as
resident of our city, one who was born
and has always lived on the sea coast, and
who has had knowledge and prac-
teal experience in this matter
He discovered and introduced to
the world the Adirondack mountains
He is here now, turning his attention to
the development of yachting on Lake
Champlain, with the same interest and
enthusiasm. He is here to tell YOU what
the yacht club has done, what it proposes
to do, and what the conditions of success
are outside. | take pleasure in intruduc-
ing to you our townsman, w. II. II. Muir
ray.
Mr.. Murray was received with loud APP
plause. He spoke for nearly an hour, and |
his remarks were frequently interrupted
with applause. He said, in brief:
MR.. MURRAY's REMARKS.
In front of this city lies most extraor-
binary sheet Of water | have seen most
of the lakes in this country, and can say
that there is probably no sheet so beautiful |
in itself and in its surroundings so histor- |
adapted to yachting. | look on the New
England man as one who wishes to have
his children trained in those healthful eX-
ercses which make men manly and women !
womanly. If there is any one thing that
conduces to bodily health it is yachting.
1t affords exercise without undue eXertion
and the constant stimulus of that wonder !
ful air that breathes in and out of us. 1t
is different from any other exercise in that
1t requires the development Of mental and
moral qualities. My object tonight is to
tell you what has been done for the en-
enlargement of yachting here what is to
be done, and how you can help u.s. There
never was more dlscouraging place for
attempting the promotion of yachting
than was Burlington last year. The great
obstacle was tlmldlty, on the part of both |
ladies and gentlemen, regarding water
navigation. But there never was more
mistaken prejudice. Sailing is safer than
riding behind horse, travelling in a car
or even walking
Nothing, | said to myself, will overcome
this timidlty but actual experience
must therefore build yacht, that shall be |
absolutely safe, and build it here, in order |
that it shall be the beginning of local |
enterprise. That boat was built, and, I'M
der the circumstances, well built. 1t was
sailed, at first timidly, more bravely to- |
ward the close of the season, and finally, |
think, there are those who would be will |
ing to trust themselves in the "Burling- |
ton in the hardest gales of November.
The first thing, then, was the demon
stration that a yacht could be built which |
was safe, reasonably speedy, commodious |
and suited to all the purposes of pleas |
ure craft The next thing we saw we
wanted was house for building these |
boats. 1t was owing to the assistance of |
eX-Gov. Smith that the help came at the |
needed time: We had, then, a building. |
We wanted lumber to build with. Messrs. |
Shepard Il Morse came to our assistance |
with lumber as fine as | ever saw
The fourth thing that had to be done |
was to get a builder of national reputation.
who should be willing to come to this in
land city and show us how to build our
yachts. That man, Mr.. j. ID. Lawlor of |
East Boston. has fortunately been secured
"a man who is one of the most celebrated |
naval architects of the old school in the |
country and who has designed some of
the fastest and finest craft on the coast.
iiC SoliicS III wv VI lHTtt weeks, ana Will !
stay as long as this place affords him
work. DIR. w. Seward Webb has already
given his order for a yacht, and eX Gov.
smith for a steam yacht. A sharpe yacht
has been contracted for by Burlington
gentleman, and will be built at once.
Having, then, a yacht, a building and
lumber, what do we want next The
next thing is a club, organized to effect a
certain work. We want club house
built on the lake shore, where we can eX-
tend courtesies to visiting yachtsmen. We
want reading room and library, where
the young men can study naval architec-
ture and navigation. We want room
for instruction, in the way of lectures by
such men rs Burgess and Herreshotf The
club house will cost $2500 to build. There
are several ways of securing the necessary
funds. The bond plan has been tried with
success elsewhere, but a modification of il
seems to me the best PLAN as follows |
will ask the citizens of Burlington to give
us 100 subscriptions to AL organization to
be called the Lake Champlain Yacht
club, the only condition of responsibility